5 Break-Through Accessory Designers To Know This Season

New designers are offering fresh takes on classic accessories, from precious pearl jewellery to croc-stamped handbags. Distinctive designs have grabbed the attention of discerning eyes, finding their space in the industry, along with our wardrobes. See the five brands Vogue are spotlighting this season for accessories that are statement enough to stand on their own.

The Ultimate Disco Bags To Dance With This Season

This article was first published in the January 2019 issue of Vogue magazine

Founded by Italian sisters Giulia and Camilla Venturini, Medea is at the forefront of clean-cut, contemporary accessories, offering structured handbags that come in scalable sizes – from "short" to "venti" – and a wealth of colourful calfskins. Beloved by the likes of Paloma Elsesser and Petra Collins, and following a collaboration with Nan Goldin, they've quickly become a cool-kid staple – but their pristine execution and endless variants have staying power.

Pearls have recently been liberated from their stuffy connotations, and irregularly shaped droplets have become the statement gem du jour. But there is one standout brand doing them best: Hernán Herdez, established by Brooklyn-based designer Melissa Hernández, who left a career in advertising to turn her hand to jewellery in 2014. Incorporating recycled metals and freshwater pearls, her pieces are worlds apart from the two-strings-and-twinset aesthetic – and they're simply brilliant.

As croc-effect handbags emerge as a wardrobe staple, Korean brand Gu-de is well positioned to become a global success story. Its neat, vintage shapes and glossy finishes are irresistible, and they're sizeable enough to prove thoroughly practical: retro luxury at its best.

Anyone seeking statement shoes this season should turn their attention towards Middle Eastern designer Amina Muaddi's high-glamour footwear (particular highlights include her thigh-skimming white leather boots and barely-there sandals with whisper-thin diamante straps) and her signature fluted heels. It's no surprise that she's been scooped up by everyone from Browns to Net-a-Porter – so expect to see plenty more of her in the near future.